Morton 5 - 0 Viewfield Rovers

Morton 5 - Black, Keenan, Russell, Stevenson (pen), Graham
Viewfield Rovers 0 -

by Russell Steele

Morton will get the chance to regain the Renfrewshire Cup after they saw off Viewfield Rovers last night, in slightly less emphatic fashion than they did when the two sides last met in 2004. On that occasion Morton defeated the amateurs 10-1 with names like Iain Diack featuring on the scoresheet and John Paul McBride fielded as a trialist, as John McCormack’s reign ran out of ideas and neared its sorry end.

It’s a case of changed days at Cappielow now, thankfully, and last night Jim McInally - fresh from agreeing a new rolling contract - opted for a mixture of youth and experience, with first team squad members like Chris Millar, Jamie Stevenson, Peter Weatherson, Alex Walker and Dean Keenan complementing the up and coming prospects like Brian Graham and Craig Black. But their amateur opponents were well up for the game and worked hard to stifle Morton during the first 45 minutes.

The first half was largely frustrating with an impatient Peter Weatherson loudly driving his colleagues forward and imploring them to do more. Once again he sounded like genuine captain material. The first chance came on 12 minutes when Alan Gilbride saw a firm header cleared off the line. Morton then resorted to a series of – largely wayward – efforts from distance, with Weatherson, Millar and Walker all off target. They should have taken the lead on the half hour mark when Scott McKellar and Brian Graham were somehow denied by desperate goal-line blocks after Viewfield keeper David Shearer got himself into a fankle. He redeemed himself with a fine save to thwart Graham again as the half ended, turning his effort from Craig Black’s fierce low cross onto the near post and away for a corner.

In the second half Viewfield visibly tired and retreated towards their own goal. After Craig Black opened the scoring with a header off the underside of the bar, the floodgates opened. Dean Keenan added a second soon after with another header off a Stevenson set-piece and a fine through ball by Chris Millar sent Ryan Russell away to notch a third with a perfect left foot finish. Russell had also set up the first and enjoyed a much better second half after a disappointing showing up until the break. A fourth goal arrived from the penalty spot when Stevenson was fouled in the box and dusted himself down to score the resultant spot kick. The scoring was completed when Craig Black stormed up the pitch, exchanged passes with Gary Loughran (who caught the eye with a bright display off the bench) and set up Brian Graham to make it 5-0.

Job done then, and another Renfrewshire derby to look forward to - unless Calton 'do a Bellaire' and send St Mirren packing…

Morton

1. David McGurn
2. Craig Black
3. Ryan Russell
4. Peter Weatherson
5. Alan Gilbride (sub Gary Phillip, 67)
6. Alex Walker (sub Gary Loughran, 73)
7. Chris Millar
8. Dean Keenan
9. Brian Graham
10. Scott McKellar
11. Jamie Stevenson (sub Lee Mitchell, 75).

Sub not used:

Paul Mathers.

Greenock Telegraph - match report